Catholics process in Washington, head to Congress in solidarity with migrants

More than 100 Catholics processed to a rally near the U.S. Capitol in Washington and met with congressional staffers to advocate for migrant dignity and show solidarity with the community.

The Dorothea Project — named after two servants of God, Dorothy Day and Sister Thea Bowman — organized the Sept. 15 event to coincide with the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, one of the patrons of the organization.

Catholics gathered for Mass at St. Peter’s Church on Capitol Hill , celebrated by Washington, D.C., Auxiliary Bishop Gary Studniewski, and processed to Upper Senate Park, which is less than a mile from the parish and sits adjacent to the Capitol. They prayed the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary.

Catholics gather for a procession in Washington, D.C., to show solidarity with migrants on Sept. 15, 2026, organized by the Dorothea Project. | Credit: Tyler Arnold/ EWTN News

In his homily , Studniewski reflected on the Gospel reading from John 19 when Mary, the mother of God, stood before Christ on the cross. As Mary did, he said, “we want to stand at the foot of the cross of suffering, the suffering Christ, [and] we want to be present to our suffering brothers and sisters to…